Team management

The club are pleased to announce that the management team have agreed to continue their works in the 2023/24 season.

Simon Haughney, Paul Thomas and Leon Solomon - the management team

Simon Haughney (left) is the manager of our first team, with a future remit to further develop youth football at Rectory Meadow. Simon will retain his management team of Paul Thomas (center) and Leon Solomon (right) and coach Chris Balchin (not shown). Paul will be Simon’s right-hand man in managing the team and Leon will assist with coaching and continue to be an active first team player, as well as giving his advice on team matters.

About Simon

As a youngster Simon was a talented football player. He was identified at a young age and was picked up by Crystal Palace, where he spent six years before being released. Simon was selected to play for Middlesex County, he went on to captain the team, where he played alongside the likes of Peter Crouch, Stephen Reid and Sam Parkin.

After dropping out of the academy set up Simon spent some time playing Non League football, making appearances for both Yeading and Staines Town under Steve Cordrey, before deciding to concentrate on developing his business.

Outside of football Simon is involved with, well football. In 2000 he established Onside Football Coaching and have an affiliation to Hampton & Richmond Borough FC Academy, coaching all 25 youth teams, working with over 350 members on a weekly basis. Onside also run coaching sessions in schools, numerous afterschool clubs, PPA sessions, multi skills clubs and breakfast clubs.

The vision

All of the boys have a very clear vision of how they believe football should be played and work hard to introduce their methods to our sides. They took over with the team bottom of the league and over the following seasons we’ve seen nothing but good progress and unprecedented success for our club.